SoundWalk 2012 (notes)

Posted by on Sep 17, 2012 in blog, history, performance, projects, SoundWalk | No Comments
SoundWalk 2012 (notes)

Ported from our former wiki, this page collects our working notes from the Long Beach SoundWalk 2012 project.

 

Wiki page intro

OK, time to start using this wiki as a wiki. It’s project time…. This is a transclusion page to pull together all the aspects of the Long Beach SoundWalk 2012 project into some sort of narrative. For editorial access to the pages themselves, go to the Category page.

 

Contents

 

LBSW 2012 Application

We don’t have the application materials posted yet. But since the gas mask imagery died in Aurora, it’s worth capturing where our heads were at on July 1.

[Ed note 2020/12/15: The macabre details of the movie theater shootings in Aurora, Colorado, on July 20 derailed our plan to use gas masks as props for the performance and we ditched the original Oracle du Jour poster concept as well.]

 

The program 2012-09-01*

* Pending approval by the Venerable Members of the Ensemble

  • 18:00 Prelude
    • SoNoGram [16:00]
    • Entr’acte #1 [14:00]
  • 18:30 Epicycle #1
    • Buzz Phrases [05:00]
    • Looking_Backward [25:00]
    • Oracle_du_Jour [15:00]
    • Entr’acte #2 [15:00]
  • 19:30 Epicycle #2
    • Buzz Phrases [05:00]
    • Looking_Backward [25:00]
    • Oracle_du_Jour [15:00]
    • Entr’acte #3 [15:00]
  • 20:30 Epicycle #3
    • Buzz Phrases [05:00]
    • Looking_Backward [25:00]
    • Oracle_du_Jour [15:00]
    • Entr’acte #4 [15:00]
  • 21:30 Postlude
    • Buzz Phrases [05:00]
    • Elegy_for_Matt_Mason [13:30]
    • Begin pack out
    • Wrap music [11:30]
  • 22:00 Full stop
    • Pack out

Alternatively, we could swap the Postlude with Epicycle 2 or 3 to put Matt Mason closer to the spotlight rather than in the traditional crowd-pleasing encore position…

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The material

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Our first attempt

Back when we thought there were five hours to fill, Dave sketched out the following list:

  • 17:00 Prelude
    • Looking Backward
      • SoNoGram
        LA River Walk (reprise)
      • Elegy for Matt Mason
        (also available for reprise)
  • 17:15 Epicycle 1
    • Looking Inward
      • Buzz
      • This could go on [forever]
    • Looking Backward
      • Bellamy
      • Bradbury
      • Belle Epoque
    • Looking Forward
      • Oracle du Jour
        • All Your Spam are Belong to Us (a manifesto)
          The fine print for eventual transclusion into a Policy page
        • The Amazing Talking Internet (working title)
          • Delude and Fugue
          • Hey, Big Boy!
          • Variations on a Meme
    • Looking outward
      • The Writing on the Wall [This isn’t happening as of August 29]
      • Imaginary Voices (reprise)
      • Take me to the bridge
  • 18:15 Intermezzo 1
  • 18:30 Epicycle 2…
  • 19:30 Intermezzo 2
  • 19:45 Epicycle 3…
  • 20:45 Intermezzo 3
  • 21:00 Epicycle 2…
  • 22:00 Flame out

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Time line

  1. Precursors
    1. The poster
    2. A vague notion
  2. Application
    1. Due 2012 July 01!
  3. Notification of acceptance
    1. Received 2012 July 15!
    2. Panic ensues
  4. Changing the tune
    1. Aurora
  5. The countdown begins…

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Countdown

  • Sep 01 Sat (T-0)
    • SoundWalk 2012
      • 17:00—22:00
      • East Village Arts District
      • Long Beach, CA
  • For the last few days’ activities, see LBSW 2012 Punch List
  • Aug 31 Fri (T-1d)
  • Aug 30 Thu (T-2d)
  • Aug 29 Wed (T-3d)
  • Aug 28Tue (T-4d)
    • Everything /fits/ in the Subaru
      • Bek and Dave can lift the mix rig into the back without further help
      • There’s two inches of clearance from the roof on the left; more like an eighth of an inch on the right where the center seat should belt emerges. So weight can be balanced over the axle. Perfect.
    • Dave leaves for SoCal
      • Aside from a spot of traffic near LA, the drive is uneventful
      • Six hours of driving, accomplished in a little under seven
  • Aug 27 Mon (T-5d)
    • Rehearsal 10
      • Start with Looking_Backward
        • Jacob’s trimmed and trued test works well
        • We can repeat the “God voice” effect
      • And wrap; we’re too bushed to do more
    • Dave tears down and packs
  • Aug 26 Sun (T-6d)
    • Morning conference call
      • We attempt to reconcile our views of Looking_Backward ‘s structure
      • Becky carves the three “streams” Dave envisions into a seven-part time line
    • Rehearsal 09
      • This will be our first run through Looking_Backward
      • After one false start, each phase runs smoothly
  • Aug 25 Sat (T-7d)
    • Work and research day
    • Bek works on clearing her desk
    • Jacob writes
      • …and writes…and writes…and writes….
    • Dave resuscitates the Commodore Amigas in the garage
      • They live!
      • A graphics hunt ensues for Oracle_du_Jour
  • Aug 24 Fri (T-8d)
    • Rehearsal 08
      • Warm up with Buzz Phrases
      • All the way through Oracle_du_Jour
  • Aug 23 Thu (T-9d)
  • Aug 22 Wed (T-10d)
    • Tentative rehearsal plans?
    • Clue:
      • In the Living Room with the New Crate
  • Aug 21 Tue (T-11d)
    • Jacob’s muse does not disappoint–although she does leave Jacob with work to do.
      • Looking_Backward begins to take textual shape
    • Gear update
      • The NT1-A’s arrive
      • Dave spends the evening and wee hours configuring the crate. Lots of labeling, cabling, and tying to do when there’s a patch panel involved but once in place it should be worth it.
  • Aug 20 Mon (T-12d)
    • Jacob travels back to CA
      • Hoping for that inspirational writer’s muse to appear in flight attendant garb
    • Gear update
      • Top-load crate arrives by truck mid-afternoon
      • The mixer and everything planned seem to fit
      • The video camera upgrade finally arrives to go with the accessories
  • Aug 19 Sun (T-13d)
    • Planning session with Jacob in Birmingham 09:15 PDT/11:15 CDT
      • Fleshing out the “motivation” behind the Looking_Backward material
      • Election-year Angst contrasts with Utopian dreams
  • Aug 18 Sat (T-14d)
    • Remote rehearsal with Jacob in Birmingham
      • Studio in San Jose, cell phone in Alabama
      • Ellen reacts to spam content
      • Should we excise/disguise uncomfortable spam topics (e.g., graphic disease descriptions)?
      • Is it wise…to Bowdlerize?
      • Audio session captured
  • Aug 17 Sat (T-15d)
    • The top-load case should arrive in time
      • 2012-08-17 01:12: “Your order number 2634564 has shipped.”
      • Late afternoon confirmation: contact with the trucking company!
    • Meanwhile camera accessories are here, but no camera yet
      • Estimated delivery August 21—24
    • Dave begins an AS-1 schematic template
      • The patch is good, but it can be improved. Still, it would be a shame to lose it forever, so…
  • Aug 16 Thu (T-16d)
  • Aug 15 Wed (T-17d)
    • The NT1 mics have shipped
      • S/N 1984851984 sounds like the real thing
      • Estimated delivery August 21
  • Aug 14 Tue (T-18d)
    • Planning session with Jacob in Birmingham
  • Aug 13 Mon (T-19d)
    • Rehearsal 05
      • Oracle_du_Jour commences @ 20:00
      • Audio session captured
    • Will the top-load crate come?
    • Will the NT1-A mics turn out to be in stock?
    • Meanwhile, Dave documents the new AS-1 patch for posterity
  • Aug 12 Sun (T-20d)
    • Rehearsal 04
      • Oracle_du_Jour with new AS-1 modulation patch
      • Jacob and Dave attempt to get “angry”
      • A new camera angle is neither flattering nor effective
      • Audio session captured
    • Dave orders another camera since Mini-DV tape is getting scarce
      • Will we get a decent video this year?
      • At least this increases the chance and will help mine the Bradbury building for media images
  • Aug 11 Sat (T-21d)
    • Meet’n’Greet session 17:00
      • ArtExchange
      • East 3rd Street
      • Long Beach, CA 90802
    • Tentative space assignment
  • Aug 10 Fri (T-22d)
    • Rehearsal 03
      • Buzz Phrases warm-up, sound check
      • Oracle_du_Jour with new script(s)
      • New video camera angle attempted
      • Audio session captured
  • Aug 09 Thu (T-23d)
  • Aug 08 Wed (T-24 d)
    • Planning session
      • Looking_Backward
  • Aug 04 Sat (T-28d)
    • Rehearsal 02
      • Oracle_du_Jour with new script(s)
      • Discovery of the “Images of” meme
      • Audio session captured
  • Jul 31 Tue (T-32d)
    • Rehearsal 01
      • Buzz Phrases warm-up, sound check
      • Audio session captured

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Our task list for the final three days. Jacob and Dave are in Long Beach
as of Tuesday evening, August 28. Rebecca joins us Friday evening,
August 31.

Panic ensues…

To do (refreshed September 17 10:48)

  • Find more percussion instruments [Dave and Jacob]
    Non-critical. This is to be done if convenient and if there’s time
  • Recover [Ensemble]

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Done!

  • Perform [Ensemble]
  • Load in [Ensemble]
  • Register [Ensemble]
  • Repack the cars [Ensemble]
  • Get Elegy for Matt Mason piece out of the mothballs [Dave and Jacob]
    • What to do about the audio? Just replay it? *Yes*
    • We have Ellen’s cellular capture (also on Vimeo)
  • Decide what to do with SoNoGram [Ensemble]
    • We could play it right off the Mac or transfer to DVD
    • But should we re-perform or just play it? *Just play it*
  • Finish the entr’ acte iPod soundtrack [Dave]
  • Assemble video for Looking_Backward [Dave]
  • Prepare stills for Looking_Backward [Jacob]
  • Arrive safely in Long Beach [Rebecca]
  • Convert and post stills to Flickr
    • We haven’t discussed why batch upload to Flickr matters prior to performance…
    • Dave’s stills will be posted separately to gongmaster’s stream…
  • Get on the plane [Rebecca]
  • Pick up stills from CostCo
  • Assemble video for Oracle_du_Jour [Dave]
  • Provide SoundWalk website statement [Ensemble]
    • Long:
      • In “Looking Backward,” wikiGong considers LA’s Bradbury Building as a lonely fragment, stranded by the deliquescence of the American Progressive Movement. Reminded that history is written by the victors, wikiGong embraces the new order and kneels at the altar of spam with “Oracle du Jour.” wikiGong is Elegiac, Incommunicado, and Disaffected.
    • Short:
      • In “Looking Backward,” wikiGong considers the deliquescence of the American Progressive Movement, then kneels at the altar of spam with “Oracle du Jour.”
  • Get SoNoGram out of the mothballs [Dave]
    • Actually, it’s all been burned before
    • That’s what’s on Vimeo
    • The files have now been heaved back into the light…
  • Finish the program [2012-08-29—Dave]
    • Recalibrate to four hours from five
    • Retime SoNoGram

      • and Elegy for Matt Mason

  • Bradbury building assay #3 [2012-08-29—Dave and Jacob]
    • Dave and Jacob will take another pass through the structure
      • Dave’s first encounter, actually (Wow!)
    • The goal is to capture moving images for backdrops to the stills—especially Jacob’s great B&W images—we plan to use in Looking_Backward
    • Two video cameras
    • Digital and classic SLRs
      • SLRs means dropping film off at CostCo
    • The Sony PCM-D50
      • Just in case the elevators are sonically interesting (Nope. Silent, modern hydraulics….)
      • How close can one get to that thin cast iron? (You can touch it, but in plain view of the guards. Permission to affix the Schertler seemed like a probable waste of precious time.)
  • Drop off film at CostCo [2012-08-29—Jacob]
    • Five rolls, and on Wednesday evening: plenty of time to get the prints back.

See also LBSW 2012 chronicle “Countdown”, above.

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From the former wiki pages: “Page created 22:39, 7 August 2012‎ by Mr Yesterday.This page was last modified on 17 September 2012, at 10:43.”